Overcoming Adversity

February 8, 2018

Every time you do something out of your comfort zone you will face adversity. Adversity includes an array of obstacles and challenges. They often make themselves apparent, especially in times when you’ve set out to accomplish a huge goal.

The Boston Celtics of the 2007-2008 season made overcoming adversity their slogan. They came back from a 20+ point deficit to beat the Lakers in a crucial finals game. The Celtics also went on to win the NBA championship that season. They had a mission in their hearts that no one but them believed. Even when the outside forces were working against them they used this determination to prevail.

As I set out on this self-love, intentional living journey, I’ve faced so much adversity. A couple of months after we moved to Minnesota I decided I wanted to work for myself after my time with Apple officially ended. Shortly after making that decision Kuya had a febrile seizure. It was scary and made me question whether I had made the right decision. We no longer had the same health insurance benefits. For a second I truly considered returning to work.

Be Comfortable With The Uncomfortable

When you live in a state where your ego is your navigator, adversity will always win. Your ego wants to keep you safe and comfortable. My ego wanted me to return to work after Kuya’s seizure. But my heart did not agree. Had I gone back to work I wouldn’t have experienced so many opportunities that followed that event. Including being here in Hawaii.

Adversity never stops. I envisioned this entire trip as a peaceful and perfect time. Sissy Boo had a different vision, however. She has screamed and cried at the top of her lungs every day since we’ve been gone. Every single day. Last night I honestly considered cutting the trip short.

Once she finally calmed down I had a heart to heart with her. We talked about how she has to tell us what she wants instead of just screaming and crying. She nodded and when I said “got it?” She repeated “got it!”

Living Through Adversity

I wasn’t sure whether Sissy Boo completely understood our talk. But, when we had dinner and I sternly told her to eat her veggies, which she usually spits out, she did. You probably don’t understand how much of a miracle this was.

I realized then that we don’t necessarily overcome adversity. Because if we did it would never appear again. Adversity is a part of life. You can either run from it and go back to your bubble of comfort, or you can push through it and understand that greater things exist on the other side of adversity.

We often mistake adversity as a sign that we’re on the wrong path. That is the ego talking. If you truly want to master your mind listen to your heart. Your heart never steers you wrong. If you can get your mind to accept direction from your heart, you will never be on the wrong path. You’ll also uncover how truly powerful your mind can be.